Well I finally got around to seeing Alice in Wonderland this week! I'm definitely glad I saw it. I know it's had mixed reviews but the art alone to me is worth it. I loved the colors, lighting, effects and costumes. I think the young actress that played Alice, who looks so much like a young Gwyneth Paltrow, did a wonderful job. Of course Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway were excellent too. I came across an art book a few weeks back that featured the costumes and sets from the movie so I might have to hunt that down and add it to my wish list. So has anyone else seen it? What did you think?

....and Anna

I wasn't named after the legendary Anna Pavlova although it would be very cool to say I was. I use several of her images on my blog as you can see. I've always been fascinated by her and the Russian Ballet. One year I was lucky enough to see the Moscow Ballet perform The Nutcracker during it's US tour. The first fragrance I ever wore was named after her, Pavlova. It came in a frosted bottle with pink flowers and had a very Art Deco feel to it. Anna Pavlova is the quintessential classic ballerina. Dainty and almost frail. She was passionate about her craft and is famously known for how she clutched her costume from The Dying Swan as she lay dying of pleurisy in 1931. Miss Pavlova was just shy of turning 50.

Anna Pavlova was born in St Petersburg on Jan. 31 1881. She studied with the Imperial Ballet School attached to the Mariinsky Theatre. Her main teacher was Marius Petipa. She made her debut at 17, and by 1906 she had become the Mariinsky's principal ballerina. In 1907 she made her first foreign tour, and in 1908, on her second, joined Diaghilev's Ballets Russes.

In 1912 she purchased Ivy House in Hampstead, England, where she established her own school of dance. She made her last appearance in St. Petersburg in 1913 and spent the rest of her career almost constantly on tour, bringing ballet to millions for the first time through the drawing power of her legendary name.

Just recently I mentioned in a post how much blogging has been such a positive expereince for me. Not just creatively but because in the short time I've been doing this I've met the nicest people. Visiting a blog is alot like visiting someone's home. You get to peek into their lives. Laugh, smile, sometimes cry, find support or feel inspired. I always look forward to checking updates to see what's new with my bloggy friends.

Well one of those friends surprised me today with my very first award! Leanne from From Chaos Comes Happinessincluded me in her list of friends to receive the Happy 101 Award! She always leaves me the nicest comments. Leanne's blog is one of MY favorite places because she never fails to make me smile. The first comment I left for her was on a Mr Bunny and poinsetta post that had me rolling on the floor. Thank you Leanne for the award, the comments and the smiles!

I also get to share 10 things that make me happy!

- Sharing a laugh with my son.
- Pancakes with my husband.
- A girl day all to myself.
- Creating late, late, late at night.
- Talking to my cat Luna
- Phone call to my mom every night.
- Finding an awesome deal at the thrift store.
- Realizing there's a chocolate chip cookie left in the bag.
- Seeing the first pumpkin in Fall.
- A wild garden filled with flowers.

Now I'd like to pass it on to the ladies that inspire me, put a smile on my face and simply make my day!

1. LV from Thoughts From Meme's Corner(This gracious 80 yr young lady puts bloggers 1/4 her age to shame! She is truly an inspiration.)
2. Karen from Aspiring Creations(A very creative mom raising 2 adorable boys, 1 with Autism.
She was the very 1st person who left me a comment and hearing from her always makes my day.)
3. Lauren fromLaureNspired (Visiting her blog just makes me want to have a cupcake...and I really don't need an excuse to have one!
I love her cupcake ratings!
4. Maggie from Do these shoes match this purse?(Maggie is frank, honest and wickedly witty! And I gotta love someone who loves pink shoes too!)

I got the doodle bug early yesterday morning while warming up my cup of hot chocolate. I've been doing a little bit of drawing lately. Just practicing really. I can't say I'm a drawer, more of a doodleler but every now and then I'm inspired to give it a try. This is my Ella Begonia doodle. She's part of a group I've been working on. I really ended up liking her alot and you can see she inspired me to change my banner. (I seem to follow the same pattern....doodle...change banner....doodle....change banner). After that I thought I'd try a different background too. I found this one at Itkupilli. I've been in an artsy sort of mood ....so maybe that's how I got the doodle bug! Well back to making more stuff for the faire. Have a nice week everyone!

I originally planned for the last post to be my Pink Saturday post. I've been busy the last few days working on my paper posy holders for the craft fair. But today I needed a crafting break. So while indulging in a bit of on-line escapist therapy I found enough pink images to do this post.

P.S. Whilst trolling around for pink gowns I came across this exquisite confection. It turns out the entire wedding was just as beautiful. You Brits just know how to do a wedding right! If I could do mine over again I would do it like this. From the dress to the rustic venue. Romantic. Charming. Chic. If you go over to photographers blog here you can also find out how they Trashed the Pink Wedding Dress in the Forest!

At least that's what I would have said if you asked me a few months ago. I've always loved autumn colors. Pumpkin, spice, paprika, espresso, rust. Autumn is my favorite season. I'm the Queen of Halloween.

But every spring I find myself drawn just a little to the color pink. It starts to tease me. The flowers, pastels, Easter colors filling the racks at the stores. I think of Paris in spring and in my mind it's pink. I usually use it sparingly in my decorating. Maybe pick up an accessory or two.

This year I've decided to embrace pink and it's here to stay.

I've been soaking it up everyway I can. I realize it's what's been inspiring me all along. That along with blogging which has been just mah-velous (thank you Beverly and Pink Saturday). And of course there's my favorite magazine, Where Women Create, the one that really started it all. I was constantly drawn to lots of pink filled feminine creative spaces. I loved pink when I was young and the last time I was crafting and selling, most of my creations were some shade of pink.

So tops on my list of what inspires would be.....PINK!

Feeling a little pink overload? I'll get back to this in a bit.

This weekend I went to a local Antique Fair. It was raining alot so most of the vendors cleared out early. I picked up a few things I couldn't resist.

This book of vintage sheet music from 1939 for $3

Vintage postcards and a sweet blue tea towel with crocheted trim....

and just as the vendor was about to pack it up this charming little vintage enamel pin for $2.50! Sometimes it pays to get there at the last minute.

I attatched the pin to this metal frame I found at the thrift shop for 99 cents a year ago. It was in a not so vintage shade of silver so I painted it antique white and used it to hang my favorite necklaces and earrings in the bedroom. I've decided to move it out to my craft corner so I just painted it this bright shade of aqua the other day. I love it with all the pinks and it goes very well with this delicious find....

A vintage framed print from the Mother Goose nursery rhyme The Queen of Hearts. This was a thrift shop splurge which to me is anything over $10. But I love the frame and her sweet little pink dress and tights and shoes. I'm sure it was meant for a little girl's room but it's perfect for MY little girl room..my craft corner!

I decided the Queen of Hearts needed a friend. She looked a bit lonely all alone up there on my wall. So I dug up an old wooden frame I've painted at least a dozen times and painted it again.

I started tearing up pieces of tissue and paper.

Dabbing pink here, blue there and lots of white which covers up boo boos that you can't erase because the real world doesn't work like Photoshop and sometimes I wish it would.

I was inspired by my favorite Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova (the image here is the same one you see on my banner) and by Vanessa Valencia from A Fanciful Twist whose artwork and blog I adore.

Miss Pavlova will join the Queen of Hearts on my wall where I can look and smile at them and be inspired while I play with more paper, glitter and glue.

Is this post getting too long?

Everything came together you see. The vintage sheet music. Anna Pavlova. The old paper doilies from the thrift shop. The pink German wired ribbon and the paper coffee filters I dyed last Easter.

I crafted this little vintage inspired paper posy holder. To hold a Mother's Day card, sweet paper roses or bits of old lace. I'm making a few for a small craft fair I'm doing in a few weeks and I'll also be listing them in my Etsy shop soon.

And now I must stop with my rambling. I see outside the weather is beautiful in that cloudy sunny way that I love. We had lots of rain the last 2 days. I must get cat food for Luna and people food for Mr Petunia and my Boy Wizard and cook it all up later and watch my recorded Dancing with the Stars from last night. Because it's a guilty pleasure I share with my mama (go Evan!)...but don't tell anyone I said so.

Not only Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass but earlier stories as well.

I'm literally tickled pink!

I can already see a little tea party in the garden, or a picnic in the park with a basket of sweets and my treasured tome.

The inside cover features colored illustrations which I don't believe are the original ones by John Tenniel but definitely in the same style. The illustrations in the stories are the ones from Tenniel.

Have any of you seen the movie yet? I've been trying to go for the last month. Even today. But life happens so I'll try again next week.

My next treasure is an old but delightful one none the less.

While I was digging in my linen cupboard

out fell this wee pink bag of beads and baubbles....

Sequinsed trim, ivory pearl and pale silver spheres went rolling down the hallway. All waiting to be pounced on by one eager kitten.

This bag is at least as old as my son (13) or even older. It came from my favorite fabric and millinery shop which sadly closed its doors long ago. I think these were from my costume making days when I made my own garb for Renaissance faires.

Now they're perfect for something sparkly and new....

Yes I caved and picked up the last copy of Crowns and Tiaras from Joanns. To my surprise I was told they did take coupons for books and magazines.